“This new non-stop flight to the ‘ Windy City’ is great news for Western North Carolina,” said Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., Airport Director. “Asheville Regional Airport is proud to provide a link to business and industry in the Midwest as well as welcome tourism from the third largest city in the U.S. via this new service.”

Travelers can book flights now at www.united.com and www.flyavl.com. Asheville Regional Airport is also served by AirTran, Continental, Delta, and US Airways.

ASHEVILLE, NC – The City of Asheville is seeking public input through Sept. 29 on its draft transit master plan.

The proposed master plan includes a new route structure, Sunday service for six routes and thirty minute trip frequency along main corridors like Tunnel Road, Haywood Road, Merrimon Avenue, Patton Avenue and Biltmore Avenue. The plan also includes two new routes. A north Asheville loop would connect Charlotte Street and Montford Avenue via UNC Asheville, and a crosstown route would connect west Asheville to Biltmore Village and areas in east Asheville.

“Our goal for the proposed route structure is to provide more options and improved service for riders,” said Transit Manager Mariate Echeverry. “We are asking the public to comment on these recommendations to get additional input before the overall plan is complete.”

The master plan can be found at www.ashevilletransit.com. The document will also be available on the mezzanine level of City Hall; at the Pack Place, East, North, West, Oakley and Skyland public library branches; at the Asheville Transit Center on Coxe Avenue, and; at the city’s transportation planning division offices at 45 Wall St.

Comments can be submitted to the city in writing to City of Asheville, ATTN: Transit Master Plan, P.O. Box 7148, Asheville, NC 28802 or via e-mail [email protected]

The city of Asheville currently operates 21 buses. According to research completed for the master plan, ridership trends in the last five years have increased by about 10 percent. The majority of riders, about 68 percent, are dependent on bus service as their only form of transportation, while about 27 percent prefer or choose to ride transit.

Asheville Transit will change its routing for these five hours or until South Pack Square is re-opened to traffic. Routes 5, 13, 26 and 28 outbound will use Patton Avenue, then north on Broadway, east on Woodfin Street, and then will return to the standard route at the traffic circle at Oak and College Streets. In bound, the same route will be used; from the traffic circle on College Street turning onto Oak Street/Woodfin Street, south on Broadway and west to the Transit Center via College Street to Patton Avenue.

This will affect the following routes for the follow times:

– Route 5 – Charlotte Street – Starting with the 6:30 a.m. trip until and including the 11:30 a.m. trip will use the detoured route.

– Route 13 – Tunnel Rd./Oteen/Haw Creek- Starting with the 6:30 a.m. trip until and including the 11:30 a.m. trip will use the detoured route.

– Route 26 – Asheville Mall/Tunnel Rd. – Starting with the 6:15 a.m. trip until and including the 11:15 a.m. trip will use the detoured route.

– Route 28 – Black Mountain – The entire portion of the 5:35 a.m. and 10 a.m. trip will use the detour route.

According to the N.C. Department of Transportation, one of two lanes will be closed in each direction at various times between Exit 1 (Brevard Road) and Exit 3 (U.S. 19-23). Work was scheduled between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

One lane will be open to traffic at all times in both directions, according to DOT.

ASHEVILLE, NC – Asheville on Bikes (AoB), an advocacy group focused on advancing Asheville’s urban bicycle culture, is hosting its Second Annual Bike Love event to be held at the Wedge Gallery on Saturday, February 23. The event will feature local bands and local beer and will highlight Asheville on Bikes’ community initiatives, including its support for the Bicycle Network Map project. Bike Love is co-sponsored by Arts2People and the French Broad Brewery.

This year, Bike Love falls just before Asheville City Council considers the proposed Bicycle Network Map, the long-range plan for Asheville’s bicycle network created by the the City’s Transportation and Engineering Department with the support of members of Asheville’s bicycling community, on February 26. Asheville on Bikes intends to use the celebration to increase awareness about the advantages of improving and expanding Asheville’s bicycle transportation infrastructure and garner support for the Bicycle Network Map project.